Spanish FA Threatens Legal Action Over Jenni Hermoso 'Lies'

The Spanish football federation (RFEF) on Saturday threatened to take legal action over Women's World Cup player Jenni Hermoso's "lies" about her kiss with its president Luis Rubiales. The RFEF and Rubiales said they would "demonstrate each of the lies that have been spread, whether in the name of the player, if that is the case, or by the player herself". It would take "as many legal actions as necessary to defend the honour of the President of the RFEF." Hermoso said on Friday she did not consent to being kissed on the lips following Spain's World Cup triumph against England, as Rubiales had claimed. The 33-year-old, along with 80 other Spain players, including the entire World Cup winning squad, said they were striking from the national team until the "leadership" changed.

It was a reaction to Rubiales refusing to resign on Friday despite unprecedented criticism, saying he was the target of a campaign to get rid of him.

In a fiery speech, he said the kiss was "mutual, euphoric and consensual" and Hermoso had said "OK" when he asked her if he could give her "a peck".

He also asserted that "she was the one who lifted me in her arms and brought me close to her body".

However Hermoso hit back strongly against his claims, saying she felt "vulnerable and the victim of an assault".

"I want to clarify that at no time did I consent to the kiss that he gave me and in no case did I seek to lift up the president," Hermoso said in the statement released through her Futpro union.

The RFEF published a series of images on their website attempting to demonstrate that Hermoso did in fact lift up Rubiales, as "the first demonstration that the facts exposed by Mr. President are absolutely true".

Their threat of legal action appeared